...MSA20 data rescue...

[Earl_J]

Our server (ML370G4) running Windows Server 2003 Enterprise with an attached MSA20 crashed (just the OS). We installed Windows Server 2008 Standard on the server. Everything appears fine.
We attach the MSA20 and all drives appear, but only the Basic drive is healthy. The other two dynamic drives now appear as foreign.

Does anyone have a method to recover the data from those drives before we convert them to basic?

Thanks for any assistance...

Until that time ... Earl J.

[Michael A. McKenney · Accepted solution]

You have to import foreign drives into Windows. Right click in disk management and import.

[Earl_J]

Hello Michael,
I have two options in Windows ... convert to basic which kills the data... and now, import ... I'm not sure if that is an available option; I'll check it tomorrow.
If I import the drive, will the data come with it - understanding that any data that was open or writing during the crash is now gone...
_ _ _
It does appear crazy to me that the program that was used to establish a dynamic drive now can't read it. . . (sigh)
_ _ _
Thanks for your help again... until that time ... Earl J.

[Earl_J]

Michael,
I'm encouraged by your confidence ... again!

I guess it appears you're the encouraging type (grin) well, you have been for me today!

Until that time ... Earl J.

[Earl_J]

Does anyone know if the data comes in safely after an import ... not an airport (we don't have Macs), an import... (grin)

I'll find out soon enough I guess...

Or perhaps some other method to save the data so we can turn them into basic disks...

Until that time ... Earl J.

[Earl_J]

Okay,
I've read the help for the Import Foreign Disks ... it appears that it knows all the disks that are labeled Foreign since when I use the Disks... option, it does correctly identify the three disks we're speaking about here.
It also explains in the help about foreign disk import that any volumes that exist among the foreign disks are maintained and become accessible ...

"Here we go. . ."

I'll make one final comment at the conclusion of the import and confirm the results are as expected.

Until that time ... Earl J.

[Earl_J]

Well, apparently there is a slim chance of a data rescue now.
Import Foreign Disk message indicates, "Before using these disks, add them to the system configuration."
Checking with the help documentation, both on the computer and online at microsoft, it explains that adding the drives to the system configuration is as simple as using the Import Foreign Disk function...(?)
_ _ _

I get to a point just before hitting OK to begin the execution of the Import Foreign Disk function when this warning message appears, "Some volumes will lose data because you have not moved all your disks to this sytem." along with a two item listing indicating that 1 TB will move easily and about 3 TB is corrupted and will lose some data ... (sigh) I'm not sure if all the data is lost or some unknown portion is lost...
I can take a chance on some of it being lost - I just don't think all 3 TB is acceptable...

The link:
go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=64112 indicates the same thing ...
_ _ _

Any other ideas about data rescue here?
I have until about tomorrow evening to figure something out ... please pass along any ideas or recommendations you might have ... well, other than executing a reliable daily backup... (sigh)

Thanks everyone. . . especially Michael...

Until that time ... Earl J.

[Earl_J]

I guess it is time to call hp directly and figure it out.

Until that time ... Earl J.

[Greybeard]

as a last resort if you cannot re-install the old OS to the server I have had some success in the past with booting a live Linux distro from CD and mounting external SCSI storage for backup to tape. I last used Ubuntu 10.04 ltsr.

[Earl_J]

Thanks Greybeard...
we'll take a look...
I'm over on the Microsoft TechNet trying to get an answer about how much data loss we can expect...
We'll reconsider the Windows Server 2003 solution as well... can't hurt to try ...

Until that time ... Earl J.